Ball joint element



June 25, 1935. R, s, c 2,005,948

BALLEOINT ELEMENT Filed Feb. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Z0 M I BY M WEE-E2 June 25, 1935. 5 c E 2,005,948

BALL JOINT ELEMENT Filed Feb. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR Pic/lard 51 772. mite/26M Patented June 25, 1935 i 2,005,948

g gUNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE I s BALL JOINT ELEMENT Richard s. M. Mitchell, Detroit, Mich. Application February 8, 1932, Serial No. 591,733

2 Claims. (01. 287-100) The main object of this invention is to provide opening I3 of the support I4 and is held in. place a ball joint element which is light and simple in by the nut I5 threaded upon the bolt 5 and bearconstruction, very economical to manufacture, ingagainst the washer I6 which engages the supand highly eflicient in operation. port I4. The tightening of the nut I5 tends to 5 Another object of the invention is to provide a o ce th ring l2 against the Shoulder l l 5 joint member comprising a pair of complemental The adjacent Surfaces ll of t S a p 2 are sheet metal stampings which are secured toinclined away from each other from the bolt head gether at their ends and are so shaped that the 6 toward the ball and, as illustrated by Fig. 3, so inherent resilience of the metal tends to keep the that when the ball is disp Within a Socket joint tight. the inherent resilience of the stampings tend to 10 Objects relating to details and. economies of d t e pa ts o the Joint in yielding bearing my invention will appear from the description to ga follow. The invention is defined and pointed out Th ph ri l ll p i n 8 are providin the claims. ed with alined openings I 9 and longitudinally A structure which is a preferred embodiment of extending Opp d Slots pushings 15 my invention is illustrated in the accompanying ZI which may be O Self-lubricating ial are drawings, in which: disposed over the ball portions I8, as illustrated Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of by Fig. 1, these cup-like bushings being provided a joint embodying my invention. with openings 22 which are alined with the corre- Fig. 2 is a reduced elevation of the member p in Op s 9 in the ball portions. The 20 without its end securing means. cup-like bushings 2I are held in engagement with Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on a line correthe ball porti y the bolt 23 extending sponding to line 3--3 of Figs. 2 and 4, parts being through the alined openings and the flanged shown in full lines. semi-spherical socket joint portions 24 of the 25 Fig. 4 is a transverse section on a line corre- Connecting n D The nut 25 Of the bo t 25 sponding to line 4-4 ofFigs. 2 and 3. 23 is tightenedas desired, the edges of the stamp- Fig. 5 is a View similar to'Fig. 3 of a modifiings being shown in abuttingrelation. A flange cation. 26 surrounds the ball 4 to provide surfaces op- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l of a further posed to the flanges 2'! of the opposed portions 'modification. and 24 of the connecting member. When formed in 30 Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of still anthis manner, an oil-tight reservoir 28 is formed other modification. on the inside of the joint member I so that when Referring to the embodiment of my invention oil or grease for lubricating purposes is supplied shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, numeral I, in genthereto through the opening 29 in the bolt 23,

. eral, indicates a joint member which consists of the latter is permanently sealed therein to lubri- 35 a pair of complemental sheet metal stampings 2 cate the bearing between the connecting member which are provided with suitably shaped porand the ball 4. tions forming a tubular shank portion 3 at one Referring to Fig. 5, the bolt 5 described above end and a hollow ball 4 at the other end. A bolt 5 in connection with Figs. 1 to- 4 inclusive, may be having a non-circular head 6 is disposed within entirely dispensed with by elongating the tubular 40 the shank 3, with a threaded portion 1 thereof exend 3 of the member I and providing threads 1' tending beyond the end of the joint member I, as on the exterior thereof corresponding to the illustrated. Spaced internal shoulders 8 and 9 threads I on the bolt 5 in the above modifications. are formed within the member I for limiting lon- Otherwise, the modification illustrated by Fig. 5

gitudinal movement of the bolt 5 relative to the is similar to that described above in connection 45 member I. The internal surface ID of the memwith Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. her I is also similar to the non-circular head 6 Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a joint so that the bolt 5 is prevented from turning on member similar to that described above in conits own axis within the member I. nection with Figs. 1 to 4, with the exception that The member I is also provided with an external thebushing 2| is entirely omitted from the struc- 50 shoulder II which constitutes an abutment for ture, the semi-spherical portions 24' of the ball the ring I2 which embraces the stampings 2 and member directly engaging the portions I8 of the secures them together and upon the bolt which socket member. Otherwise, the modification ilconstitutes an extension of the shank. The tubulustrated in Fi 6 is Similar o that sc ib d lar end 3 of member I is disposed within the aboveinconnection with Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. 55

Referring to Fig. 7, there is illustrated a ball joint member 3% having ball portions 3| at one end thereof which are held together by the inherent resilience of the sheet metal stampings 32 constituting the member by virtue of their shape and the forces exerted by bolt 33, the ring 34, and the support it. In this case, the abutting surfaces 35 of the stampings 32 are inclined away from each other in a direction extending from the ball 35 toward the tubular end 36. In this modification also, the interior 3'! or the ball joint member 3a is upwardly and inwardly inclined to correspond to the shape of the head 38 of the bolt 33.

The joint members illustrated are particularly designed for use in connection with automobile shock absorbers. My improvements are, however, adapted for a great variety of uses. Heree tofore, the ball joint members have commonly been manufactured out of solid members by expensive die-castingand machine processes. By forming the members of simple complemental sheet metal stampings, I obviate practically all of this machining expense, and in addition provide a member that 'is' not only simple yet strong in construction, but one that is extremely light in weight. A considerable amount of metal is saved by reducing the weight of the joint members in this manner: Furthermore, by virtue of the novel shape of the stampings. the joint is maintained tight at all times and no rattling results and no adjustments are required.

My improved structure provides for a rigid joint, the movable elements of which, while being flexible in themselves, are susceptible to movement only in one plane. This important feature allows side sway and shimmying between the chassis and the axle housing of the vehicle, but offers substantial resistance to such movements.

In prior structures, the sidewise flexure has been taken care of in the joint, which offers little or no resistance thereto. In my improved structure, the sidewise flexure is not obtained in the joint,

which is rigid, but in the flexible members themselves, where the resistance to such flexure is considerable. Furthermore, my structure provides for a bearing, which seals the lubricant in and the dust and other foreign matter out. This is a very valuable feature, and one that is new in so. far as I am aware.

Various changes and adaptations may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A frictionless joint comprising a flexible inner joint member having opposed hollow semispherical portions at its end forming a large central lubricant chamber and provided with opposed central openings on a common axis extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the member and longitudinal relatively narrow lubricating slots radiating from said openings, self-lubricating semi-spherical cup-like bushings disposed over said semi-spherical portions and having central openings alined with the corresponding central openings therein, a flexible outer joint member having semi-spherical socket portions at its end disposed over said bushings and having central openings alined with the corresponding central openings therein and in the bushings, and. a bolt fitting exactly through said central openings whereby said joint members are free at their joint for movement only in the plane of their longitudinal axes, but are capable of flexing in other directions by virtue of their inherent flexibility.

2. A frictionless joint comprising a flexible inner joint member having opposed hollow semispherical portions at its end forming a large central lubricant chamber and provided with opposed central openings on a common axis extending transversely ofthe longitudinal axis of the member and longitudinal relatively narrow lubricating slots radiating from said openings, a flexible outer joint member having semi-spherical socket portions at its end disposed over opposite sides. of said inner portions and having central openings alined with the corresponding central openings therein, and a bolt fitting exactly through said central openings whereby said joint members are free at their joint for movement only in the plane of their longitudinal axes, but are capable of flexing in other directions by virtue of their. inherent flexibility.

RICHARD S. M. MITCHELL. 

